Roof airbag apparatus

ABSTRACT

A roof airbag apparatus may include: a cushion configured to cover a roof when deployed; a pair of guides having a length in the deployment direction of the cushion, and configured to guide both sides of the cushion in the deployment direction; and a deployment resistance reducer having a connector connected to one end of each of the guides so as to apply an elastic force from a first location toward the rear, wherein the connector is moved to a second location in a front of the first location by frictional resistance which is applied to the guide when the cushion is deployed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 17/136,511, filed Dec. 29, 2020, entitled “ROOF AIRBAG APPARATUS”,which claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2020-0011510, filed on Jan. 31, 2020. The contents of theaforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a roof airbagapparatus, and more particularly, to a roof airbag apparatus capable ofpreventing damage to a guide when a cushion is deployed.

Discussion of the Background

In general, a vehicle includes an airbag apparatus installed for apassenger's safety. In addition, a roof airbag apparatus is installed ata panorama roof which is positioned at the ceiling of the vehicle.

Such a roof airbag apparatus includes a cushion which is inflated anddeployed to prevent a passenger from being injured or thrown out of thevehicle to the outside, in case of a rollover accident of the vehicle.At this time, the cushion is inflated by gas introduced from a gassupply unit (inflator) and blocks the roof space.

Furthermore, the roof airbag apparatus includes a guide for guiding thecushion in the deployment direction, and a guide ring is coupled to thecushion so as to slide the cushion along the guide.

In the conventional roof airbag apparatus, however, the frictionalresistance between the guide ring and the guide is increased by thecushion which is contracted when the airbag is deployed, and the guidemay be deformed and damaged by the deployment force of the cushion.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments are directed to a roof airbag apparatus capable ofpreventing damage to a guide when a cushion is deployed.

In an embodiment, a roof airbag apparatus may include: a cushionconfigured to cover a roof when deployed; a pair of guides having alength in the deployment direction of the cushion, and configured toguide both sides of the cushion in the deployment direction; and adeployment resistance reducer having a connector connected to one end ofeach of the guides so as to apply an elastic force from a first locationtoward the rear, wherein the connector is moved to a second location ina front of the first location by frictional resistance which is appliedto the guide when the cushion is deployed.

The deployment resistance reducer may apply a restoring elastic forcetoward the rear such that the connector is restored from the secondlocation to the first location.

The deployment resistance reducer may have a fixed rear end and a frontend connected to one end of the guide, and apply a tensile elastic forcetoward the rear.

The length of the deployment resistance reducer may be increased towardthe front when the cushion is deployed, and restored to the originallength by the tensile elastic force when the cushion is completelydeployed.

The deployment resistance reducer may be disposed in a guide housingwhose front is open.

The guide housing may further include an impact absorption layer formedtherein, the impact absorption layer being made of an elastic material.

The deployment resistance reducer may have a fixed front end and a rearend connected to one end of the guide, and apply a compressive elasticforce toward the rear.

The length of the deployment resistance reducer may be decreased towardthe front when the cushion is deployed, and restored to the originallength by the compressive elastic force when the cushion is completelydeployed.

The deployment resistance reducer may be disposed in a guide housing,while the front end thereof is supported.

A locking member may be locked to a rear end of the deploymentresistance reducer so as to move in a front-to-rear direction, and theguide may have one end connected to the locking member through thedeployment resistance reducer.

The guide housing may further include an impact absorption layer formedtherein, the impact absorption layer being made of an elastic material.

The cushion may further include guide rings which are disposed on eitherside of the cushion so as to slidable along the guide.

In accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, the roofairbag apparatus may reduce the frictional resistance between the guideand the guide ring when the cushion is deployed, thereby prevent damageto the guide due to the contraction of the cushion. Furthermore, theguide housing and the impact absorption layer may be formed on theoutside of the deployment resistance reducer, thereby not onlypreventing the movement of the deployment resistance reducer, but alsoreducing noise and impact caused by the movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating that a roof airbag apparatusin accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is installedat the roof of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the roof airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating that a cushion of the roofairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure is deployed.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating that the length of a deploymentresistance reducer is decreased while the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure isnot deployed.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is increased while the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure isdeployed.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating that the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is decreased after the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosurehas been completely deployed.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating that an impactabsorber is formed in a guide housing of the roof airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating that the length of a deploymentresistance reducer is decreased while a cushion of a roof airbagapparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the presentdisclosure is not deployed.

FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating that the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is increased while the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the another embodiment of the presentdisclosure is deployed.

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating that the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is decreased after the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the another embodiment of the presentdisclosure has been completely deployed.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating that an impactabsorber is formed in a guide housing of the roof airbag apparatus inaccordance with the another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The advantages and characteristics of the present invention and a methodfor achieving the advantages and characteristics will be clarifiedthrough the following embodiments which will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

However, the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments to bedisclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms. The presentembodiments are provided to bring the disclosure of the present toperfection and assist a person skilled in the art to which the presentdisclosure pertains to complete understand the scope of the presentdisclosure, and the present disclosure is only defined by the scope ofthe claims.

Further, in describing the present disclosure, detailed descriptions ofrelated publicly-known arts and the like will be omitted when it isdetermined that the related publicly-known arts may obscure the subjectmatter of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating that a roof airbag apparatusin accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is installedat the roof of a vehicle, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating theroof airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating that a cushionof the roof airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent disclosure is deployed.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating that the length of a deploymentresistance reducer is decreased while the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure isnot deployed, and FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the length of thedeployment resistance reducer is increased while the cushion of the roofairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure is deployed.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating that the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is decreased after the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosurehas been completely deployed, and FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional viewillustrating that an impact absorber is formed in a guide housing of theroof airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating that the length of a deploymentresistance reducer is decreased while a cushion of a roof airbagapparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the presentdisclosure is not deployed, and FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating thatthe length of the deployment resistance reducer is increased while thecushion of the roof airbag apparatus in accordance with the anotherembodiment of the present disclosure is deployed.

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating that the length of the deploymentresistance reducer is decreased after the cushion of the roof airbagapparatus in accordance with the another embodiment of the presentdisclosure has been completely deployed, and FIG. 11 is a sidecross-sectional view illustrating that an impact absorber is formed in aguide housing of the roof airbag apparatus in accordance with theanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11, a roof airbag apparatus 100 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes acushion 110, a pair of guides 120 and a deployment resistance reducer130.

The cushion 110 may be deployed forward to cover an open space of a roof11, when gas is supplied from the outside, and a discharge part of aninflator 20 for supplying inflation gas G may be coupled to the rear ofthe cushion 110.

Such a cushion 110 is deployed toward the front from the rear of thevehicle 10 and covers the open space of the roof 11, when gas issupplied into the cushion 110. The cushion 110 may be deployed towardthe rear from the front of the vehicle 10

The cushion 110 may have a filling space 112 to be filled with the gas Gsupplied from the inflator 20, and the filling space 112 may be dividedinto one or more spaces to communicate with each other.

The cushion 110 may have an inlet 111 formed at a rear end thereof so asto communicate with the filling space 112, the inlet 111 being connectedto the discharge part of the inflator 20. The filling space 112 forms amoving path of the gas G injected through the inlet at the rear of thecushion 110 from the inflator 20.

Furthermore, the cushion 110 may further include a plurality of guiderings 113 formed on either side thereof so as to slide along a guide 120which will be described below, and each of the guide rings 113 may havea fastening hole formed therethrough in the front-to-rear direction suchthat the guide 120 can be coupled to the fastening hole.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the volume of the cushion 110 may bereduced so that the cushion 110 is housed in a case 101 installedadjacent to the space of the roof 11, and the case 101 may be installedat various locations, if necessary.

The inflator 20 may be ignited through a method of igniting gun powderof an igniter (not illustrated) according to a sensing signal of a shocksensor, and then generate gas.

The cushion 110 is deployed to block the space of the roof 11, such thata passenger positioned in a passenger space A under the roof 11 isprevented from being thrown out of the vehicle to the outside throughthe space of the roof 11 in case of a rollover accident.

The pair of guides 120 serve to guide the cushion 110 in a deploymentdirection, and each have a length in the deployment direction of thecushion 110.

The guides 120 may be disposed on the left and right sides of the spaceof the roof 11, respectively, and made of a fabric or metallic wire tobe deformed.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 9, the guide 120 has a front end fixedlycoupled to a structure of the vehicle and a rear end coupled to thedeployment resistance reducer 130 which will be described below.

The front end of the guide 120 may be fixed by a separate fixing member121, the guide 120 may be coupled through the fastening holes of theguide rings 113 coupled to either side of the cushion 110, and the guiderings 113 may be slid in the longitudinal direction of the guide 120.

The deployment resistance reducer 130 serves to prevent the guide 120from being damaged by frictional resistance when the cushion 110 isdeployed, and is connected to one end of the guide 120 so as to apply atensile elastic force toward the rear.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 5, While the cushion 110 is deployed incase of a vehicle accident, a connector 133 connected to the one end ofthe guide 120 applies a tensile elastic force from a first location (seeFIG. 4) toward the rear. When the cushion 110 is deployed, the connector133 is moved to a second location (see FIG. 5) in the front of the firstlocation by the frictional resistance applied to the guide 120, therebyreducing the tension of the guide 120.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, That is, while the tensile elastic force ofthe deployment resistance reducer 130 is overcome by the frictionalresistance applied to the guide 120, the guide 120 may be loosed. Thatis, the tension of the guide 120 may be reduced.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, When the cushion 110 is completely deployed,the deployment resistance reducer 130 applies a tensile elastic forcetoward the rear, and restores the tension of the guide 120 to theoriginal tension.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the rear end of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure may be fixed, and the connector 133 at the front of thedeployment resistance reducer 130 may be connected to one end of theguide 120, and apply a tensile elastic force toward the rear.

In this case, the length of the deployment resistance reducer 130 may beincreased toward the front as illustrated in FIG. 5 when the cushion 110is deployed, and restored to the original length by a tensile elasticforce as illustrated in FIG. 6 when the cushion 110 is completelydeployed.

For this operation, a coil-shaped tensile spring may be used as thedeployment resistance reducer 130, and the deployment resistance reducer130 may be disposed in a guide housing 131 whose front side is open, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6. The rear end of the deployment resistancereducer 130 may be fixed to the guide housing 131.

The guide housing 131 in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure may be fixedly installed in a structure of a vehicle 10, andhas an installation space formed therein. The installation space may beopen to the front such that the deployment resistance reducer 130 isdisposed in the guide housing 131.

The guide housing 131 or the inner circumferential surface of the guidehousing 131 may be made of a material capable of absorbing vibration andnoise, and the installation space of the guide housing 131 may have ashape corresponding to the deployment resistance reducer 130.

When the cushion 110 is deployed due to a vehicle accident, the frontend of the deployment resistance reducer 130 may appear and disappearthrough the open front of the guide housing 131 as illustrated in FIGS.5 and 6.

The guide housing 131 in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure may be installed to cover the deployment resistance reducer130 in the longitudinal deformation direction and the orthogonaldirection, and the deployment resistance reducer 130 may be supported inthe installation space of the guide housing 131.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, The guide housing 131 may further include animpact absorption layer 131 a formed in the installation space thereof,the impact absorption layer 131 a being made of an elastic material(rubber, resin or the like). The impact absorption layer 131 a maysupport the outside of the deployment resistance reducer 130.

That is, since the installation space of the guide housing 131 supportsthe outside of the deployment resistance reducer 130, the movement ofthe deployment resistance reducer 130 may be prevented. When the impactabsorption layer 131 a is formed in the installation space of the guidehousing 131, the impact absorption layer 131 a may absorb vibration andnoise of the deployment resistance reducer 130.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11, the front end of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent disclosure may be fixed, and the rear end thereof may beconnected to one end of the guide 120, and apply a compressive elasticforce toward the rear.

In this case, the length of the deployment resistance reducer 130 may bedecreased toward the front as illustrated in FIG. 9 when the cushion 110is deployed, and restored to the original length by a compressiveelastic force as illustrated in FIG. 10 when the cushion 110 iscompletely deployed.

For this operation, a coil-shaped compression spring may be used as thedeployment resistance reducer 130, and the deployment resistance reducer130 may be disposed in a guide housing 131-1, as illustrated in FIGS. 8to 11.

At this time, the front end of the deployment resistance reducer 130 maybe disposed while supported by the inside of the guide housing 131-1,and the rear end of the deployment resistance reducer 130 may becompressed in the front-to-rear direction and elastically restoredtoward the rear.

The guide housing 131-1 or the inner circumferential surface of theguide housing 131-1 may be made of a material capable of absorbingvibration and noise, and the installation space of the guide housing131-1 may have a shape corresponding to the deployment resistancereducer 130.

The guide housing 131-1 in accordance with the another embodiment of thepresent disclosure may be installed to cover the deployment resistancereducer 130 in the longitudinal deformation direction and the orthogonaldirection, and the deployment resistance reducer 130 may be supported inthe installation space of the guide housing 131-1.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, The guide housing 131-1 may further includean impact absorption layer 131-1 a formed in the installation spacethereof, the impact absorption layer 131-1 a being made of an elasticmaterial (rubber, resin or the like). The impact absorption layer 131-1a may support the outside of the deployment resistance reducer 130.

That is, since the installation space of the guide housing 131-1supports the outside of the deployment resistance reducer 130, themovement of the deployment resistance reducer 130 may be prevented. Whenthe impact absorption layer 131-1 a is formed in the installation spaceof the guide housing 131-1, the impact absorption layer 131-1 a mayabsorb vibration and noise of the deployment resistance reducer 130.

The deployment resistance reducer 130 in accordance with the anotherembodiment of the present disclosure may include a locking member 132locked to a connector 133-1 at the rear thereof so as to move in thefront-to-rear direction.

At this time, one end of the guide 120 may be connected to the lockingmember 132 through the deployment resistance reducer 130. When thedeployment resistance reducer 130 is applied as a coil spring, the guidemay pass through the coil spring toward the rear.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, the connector 133 of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 in accordance with the embodiment of the presentdisclosure refers to the front end of the deployment resistance reducer130 connected to the one end of the guide 120, and the position of theconnector 133 may be changed to various positions other than the frontend, if necessary.

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 11, the connector 133-1of the deployment resistance reducer 130 in accordance with the anotherembodiment of the present disclosure refers to the rear end of thedeployment resistance reducer 130 connected to the one end of the guide120, and the position of the connector 133-1 may be changed to variouspositions other than the rear end, if necessary.

Hereafter, a deployment process of the roof airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure in case of arollover accident and a head-on collision accident of a vehicle will bedescribed below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11.

In the roof airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the guide 120 maintains a straight line shape in thelongitudinal direction while maintaining predetermined tension through atensile elastic force of the deployment resistance reducer 130 asillustrated in FIG. 4, and the connector 133 of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 is connected to one end of the guide 120 at thefirst location, and applies a tensile elastic force toward the rear.

When a rollover accident occurs, the inflator 20 is operated accordingto a sensing signal transferred from a rollover sensor (not illustrated)as illustrated in FIG. 5, and the cushion 110 is deployed by gassupplied from the inflator 20.

During this process, the guide ring 113 of the cushion 110 is slidforward in the longitudinal direction of the guide 120, and a force isapplied to the front of the guide 120 by frictional resistance which isgenerated when the guide ring 113 is moved.

At this time, the length of the deployment resistance reducer 130 isincreased while the connector 133 of the deployment resistance reducer130 protrudes toward the front of the guide housing 131 by a movingdistance B, and the guide 120 is loosed while the tension of the guide120 in the longitudinal direction is reduced by the increase in lengthof the deployment resistance reducer 130.

That is, while the cushion 110 is deployed at the initial stage, theconnector 133 of the deployment resistance reducer 130 is extended fromthe first location to the second location by a predetermined length inthe deployment direction of the cushion 110. Accordingly, since theguide 120 becomes loose, frictional resistance can be reduced when theguide ring 113 moves on the guide 120. Thus, it is possible to reducethe frictional resistance between the guide ring 113 and the guide 120when the cushion 110 is deployed at the initial stage.

Then, when the cushion 110 is completely deployed, the cushion 110blocks the space of the roof 11, and the length of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 is decreased to the original length by thetensile elastic force, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Furthermore, as thelength of the deployment resistance reducer 130 is decreased, the guide120 maintains a straight line shape in the longitudinal direction whilemaintaining predetermined tension.

In the roof airbag apparatus in accordance with the another embodimentof the present disclosure, the guide 120 maintains a straight line shapein the longitudinal direction while maintaining predetermined tensionthrough the compressive elastic force of the deployment resistancereducer 130 in a state where the cushion 110 is not deployed asillustrated in FIG. 8.

When a rollover accident occurs, the inflator 20 is operated accordingto a sensing signal transferred from a rollover sensor (not illustrated)as illustrated in FIG. 9, and the cushion 110 is deployed by gassupplied from the inflator 20.

During this process, the guide ring 113 of the cushion 110 is slidforward in the longitudinal direction of the guide 120, and a force isapplied toward the front of the guide 120 by frictional resistance whichis generated when the guide ring 113 is moved.

At this time, the guide 120 leads the locking member 132 toward thefront, the length of the deployment resistance reducer 130 is decreasedwhile the rear end of the deployment resistance reducer 130 iscompressed forward by the movement of the locking member 132, and thetension of the guide 120 in the longitudinal direction is reduced by thedecrease in length of the deployment resistance reducer 130.

That is, while the cushion 110 is deployed at the initial stage, thedeployment resistance reducer 130 is reduced by a predetermined lengthin the deployment direction of the cushion 110. Accordingly, since theguide 120 becomes loose, frictional resistance can be reduced when theguide ring 113 moves on the guide 120. Thus, it is possible to reducethe frictional resistance bet ween the guide ring 113 and the guide 120when the cushion 110 is deployed at the initial stage.

Then, when the cushion 110 is completely deployed, the cushion 110blocks the space of the roof 11, and the length of the deploymentresistance reducer 130 is restored to the original length by the tensileelastic force, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Furthermore, as the length ofthe deployment resistance reducer 130 is increased, the guide 120maintains a straight line shape in the longitudinal direction whilemaintaining predetermined tension.

The roof airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiments of thepresent disclosure may reduce the frictional resistance between theguide 120 and the guide ring 113 when the cushion 110 is deployed,thereby prevent damage to the guide due to the deployment of the cushion110. Furthermore, the guide housing 131 or 131-1 and the impactabsorption layer 131 a or 131-1 a may be formed on the outside of thedeployment resistance reducer 130, thereby not only preventing themovement of the deployment resistance reducer 130, but also reducingnoise and impact caused by the movement.

Although exemplary embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed forillustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as defined in theaccompanying claims. Thus, the true technical scope of the disclosureshould be defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roof airbag apparatus comprising: a cushionconfigured to cover a roof when deployed; a pair of guides having alength in the deployment direction of the cushion, and configured toguide both sides of the cushion in the deployment direction; and adeployment resistance reducer having a connector connected to one end ofeach of the guides so as to apply an elastic force from a first locationtoward the rear, wherein the connector is moved to a second location ina front of the first location by frictional resistance which is appliedto the guide when the cushion is deployed, wherein the deploymentresistance reducer has a fixed front end and a rear end connected to oneend of the guide, and applies a compressive elastic force toward therear.
 2. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of thedeployment resistance reducer is decreased toward the front when thecushion is deployed, and restored to the original length by thecompressive elastic force when the cushion is completely deployed. 3.The roof airbag apparatus of claim 2, wherein the deployment resistancereducer is disposed in a guide housing, while the front end thereof issupported.
 4. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein a lockingmember is locked to a rear end of the deployment resistance reducer soas to move in a front-to-rear direction, and the guide has one endconnected to the locking member through the deployment resistancereducer.
 5. The roof airbag apparatus of claim 3, wherein the guidehousing further comprises an impact absorption layer formed therein, theimpact absorption layer being made of an elastic material.